Frank Opelka, vice president for health affairs and medical education, said Friday he's concerned about the workforce drop because the not-for-profit corporations taking over operations of many of the university's hospitals need the employees to stay.

He told the LSU Board of Supervisors that he and the state health department are pressing to wrap up the privatization agreements for four south Louisiana hospitals quickly to stabilize the work force.

Employees of the university-run hospitals and clinics being privatized will face layoff and then have to reapply for their jobs with the private hospitals if they want to keep their positions.